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Danny
Theo leaned back in the seat next to me, listening to the head of the finance department drone on about our current numbers. I jotted down the important information, my head down as I focused on what he was saying. Or trying to, at least. Theo’s hand was settled between my shoulder blades, his heat emanating through my shirt, and it was making it hard to give the person speaking the attention they needed.
The head of the finance department finally finished speaking, looking to Theo to see if he had anything to add. Theo just nodded his head toward his seat, a silent order for him to sit down so the head of the marketing department could speak next.
I didn’t know why everyone sitting here thought Theo would have something to say. Even if something was clearly wrong, he waited until he had the opportunity to sit in his office and look over every single note I made for him before he called any meetings. It ensured he looked at the entire picture and saw everything clearly. It also gave him time to look for a solution. That way, he had a plan already in place by the time he called the meeting and no games were being played.
The head of the marketing department stood to his feet and began to gather his papers as our tech person switched to the marketing department’s numbers on the screen hanging on the wall. I leaned back in my seat and rolled my neck around. Theo slid his hand up and massaged my muscles. I swallowed the groan that crawled up my throat, closing my eyes to relish in how good it felt.
I could feel eyes on us, but I was good at ignoring them now. I knew whispers circulated about me and Noah sucking dick to get the job we had. Theo and Thomas wanted to do something to kill the rumors, but I told them to leave it. Noah and I knew what really happened, and that was all that mattered. I’d never been one to give much a fuck about what anyone had to say about me, and I had gotten damn good at distracting Noah from focusing on any rumors.
A shout of pain left my lips when scalding hot coffee suddenly splashed across my thighs. I jumped to my feet so fast, my chair was shoved back against the wall. Theo was immediately on his feet beside me, his hand on my elbow.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” I shouted. Goddamn, it burned. It felt like my skin was on fucking fire.
“I’m so sorry!” the head of marketing rushed out, his eyes wide with horror. “I didn’t mean to. I swear I didn’t!”
The pain was so bad, I was shaking. “I think I need the hospital,” I rasped, looking at Theo, ignoring the dumbass next to me.
“Take your seats!” Theo barked at everyone when panic began to ensue. He grabbed our phones and shoved them in his pockets. “Thomas will continue this meeting. No one leaves this room.” I hissed a breath through my teeth when Theo curled his arms beneath me and lifted me effortlessly against his chest. I dug my fingers into his neck, the rasp of my slacks against my burning legs hurting enough to make tears spring to my eyes.
When we got to the ground level, Theo strode through with purpose, saying over his shoulder to the receptionist, “Have Thomas call me immediately. If I don’t answer, I’ll call him back as soon as my hands are free.”
A security officer pushed open the employee door that led out to the private parking garage, and Theo strode through, his feet quickly eating up the distance between us and his car.
I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut when Theo began to lower me. “Easy,” he rumbled as he gently settled me into the passenger seat of his car. He quickly buckled me in before striding around the car, pulling his phone out of his pocket as he slung open the driver’s side door.
“Thomas, I need you to take over the meeting I was just in. Everything is still in the conference room that you’ll need.” Theo pulled out of the parking stall and quickly exited the garage, speeding toward the interstate, which was the quickest route to the hospital. “Fucking Josh spilled scalding hot coffee on Danny’s thighs. I’m getting him to the emergency room.” Theo looked over at me. “Can you get your pants off, baby boy?” I nodded and began unfastening my belt. “I’ll keep you updated. I promise. I need to go.”
He hung up and set his phone between his thighs on the seat, smoothly drifting through traffic, going way over the speed limit. Gritting my teeth, I pushed my slacks down, cursing when I had to get them down past my scorched thighs. God, it hurt so bad. It burned.
“Oh, fuck,” I groaned, staring in horror at my thighs. They were already blistering and raw.
Theo glanced over, and his fingers tightened around the steering wheel. “Fuck,” he hissed. He hit the indicator to take the exit for the hospital. “Just hold on, baby. We’re almost there.”
I nodded. Within the next minute, Theo was pulling up outside of the emergency room doors. He angled out of the car and went in to grab a wheelchair before coming to me and helping me out of the car. My teeth were clenched so tightly, my jaw hurt, and the pain was spreading through my face. This was fucking agony.
Once I was seated, Theo wheeled me inside and stopped in front of the security officer, pulling a wad of cash out of his wallet.
“I’ll give you all of this if you park my car for me,” Theo said, holding the money out to him.
“I might lose my job—” the man started, glancing around nervously.
Theo impatiently waved the cash at him. “If you get fired, come to Fennigan Tech. I’ll make sure you have a job. Just ask for Theo Fennigan.”
The man blew out a soft breath before he took the cash from Theo and walked out the door. Theo wheeled me the rest of the way to the check-in desk and began filling out the paperwork for me. Once the hospital band was on my wrist, I was immediately taken back into a triage room. It was the quickest I’d ever gotten help in an ER, but I guess burn victims were a bit of a time sensitive matter.
“You’re going to be alright,” Theo whispered once I was settled on a gurney behind an ugly, pale green curtain.
I nodded, swallowing thickly when the older doctor stepped into the room. He grimaced at the sight of my legs, and I knew right then it was bad. Really fucking bad.
“Those are third-degree burns, kid,” the doctor told me. “I hate to tell you this, but a skin graft procedure will be necessary.”
Just great.
* * *
Theo
